Disclosing Va Disability: Life Insurance Requirements And You

Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) is a guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance program for service-connected veterans aged 80 and under. It provides low-cost coverage of up to $40,000, with lesser amounts available in $10,000 increments. The coverage takes effect two years after enrolment, as long as premiums are paid during this period. VALife was introduced on January 1, 2023 and is available to veterans with service-connected disabilities. This program replaced Service-Disabled Veterans Life Insurance (S-DVI), which stopped accepting new applications after December 31, 2022. While S-DVI offered premium waivers in some cases, VALife does not.

Premium waiver eligibility

• The insured must have a mental or physical disability that prevents them from engaging in substantially gainful employment.
• The total disability must begin before the insured's 65th birthday and continue for at least six consecutive months.
• The total disability cannot begin prior to the effective date of the policy, except for S-DVI policies, where a waiver may be granted if the total disability is due to a service-connected disability.

It is important to note that the VALife program, which is a new life insurance program for Veterans with service-connected disabilities, does not offer premium waivers. If an individual has a waiver for S-DVI premiums and switches to VALife, the waiver will not transfer to the new policy.

If you believe you are eligible for a waiver of premiums, you should apply as soon as possible using VA Form 29-357, Claim for Disability Insurance Benefits. The VA will determine your eligibility and notify you of their decision.

Total Disability Income Provision (TDIP)

Policyholders must apply for TDIP before their 55th birthday, and the applicant must be in good health. TDIP is available on all NSLI policies except S-DVI ("RH") and VRI ("JR" and "JS").

To be eligible for TDIP, the following criteria must be met:

• The individual must have a TDIP Rider in force on the date that total disability began or within one year from when the rider ceases.
• The individual must have a mental or physical disability that prevents them from engaging in substantially gainful employment. The disability does not need to be service-connected.
• The total disability must begin before the insured's 65th birthday.
• The total disability must continue for at least six consecutive months.

If an individual is totally disabled and qualifies for TDIP payments, they are also entitled to a waiver of premiums on the basic contract and the TDIP rider. To apply for TDIP, individuals can use VA Form 29-357, Claim for Disability Insurance Benefits.

Eligibility criteria for Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife)

Veterans Affairs Life Insurance (VALife) is a new guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance program for all service-connected veterans aged 80 and under. VALife provides low-cost coverage to veterans with service-connected disabilities.

• If you are aged 80 or younger, you are eligible for VALife if you have a VA service-connected disability rating—even if your rating is 0%. There is no time limit to apply after getting your disability rating.
• If you are aged 81 or older, you may be eligible for VALife if you meet the following requirements:
• Before turning 81 years old, you applied for VA disability compensation for a service-connected disability.
• After turning 81, you received a rating for that same disability.
• You apply for VALife within 2 years of getting the notification of your disability rating.

Benefits of VALife

• Up to $40,000 in whole life insurance coverage (in $10,000 increments).
• Cash value that starts to accumulate 2 years after the application is approved.
• Guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance.
• Coverage for the rest of your life.
• Your premium rate will never increase as long as you keep your VALife policy.

Applying for VALife

VALife is a life insurance program offered by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for veterans with service-connected disabilities. The program provides guaranteed acceptance whole life insurance, meaning that if you meet the eligibility requirements, your application will automatically be approved. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to apply for VALife:

• Check your eligibility: To be eligible for VALife, you must have a VA service-connected disability rating. This includes veterans with a disability rating of 0%. If you are under the age of 80, there is no time limit to apply after receiving your disability rating. If you are 81 or older, you must meet additional requirements and apply within two years of receiving your disability rating.
• Create an account: To apply for VALife, you will need to create an account on the VA website. You can create an account using ID.me or Login.gov.
• Complete the online application: Once you have created an account, you can access the VALife Insurance application. Provide all the required information and submit your application.
• Receive a decision: After submitting your application, you will receive an instant decision on your acceptance.
• Pay your first premium: If your application is approved, you will need to pay your first premium to keep your coverage active. Your premium amount will depend on your age and the coverage amount you select.
• Access your policy: Once your application is approved, you can access and download your policy through the VA life insurance portal. You will be notified by email or text, depending on your communication preferences.

It is important to note that VALife does not offer premium waivers or loans. Additionally, your full life insurance coverage will start two years after you apply, and you must pay the premiums during those two years. If you have any questions or need further assistance during the application process, you can contact the VA Life Insurance Center at 800-669-8477.

Contacting the VA Life Insurance Center

The VA Life Insurance Center can be contacted by phone, mail, fax, and email. The center provides support for the following:

• VALife, S-DVI, and VMLI: 1-800-669-8477 (TTY: 711)
• WWI, WWII, and Korean War era programs: 1-800-669-8477
• VGLI program, SGLI claims, and FSGLI claims: 1-800-419-1473

The VA Life Insurance Center is open from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm ET.

Contact by Phone

The VA Life Insurance Center can be contacted by phone at 1-800-669-8477. This number provides support for VALife, S-DVI, and VMLI. For support with the VGLI program, SGLI claims, and FSGLI claims, the number is 1-800-419-1473. The center is open from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm ET.

Contact by Mail

The VA Life Insurance Center can be contacted by mail at the following addresses:

• General Correspondence: Department of Veterans Affairs Insurance Center, PO Box 42954, Philadelphia, PA 19101
• Death Claims, Waiver of Premium Applications, and VMLI Applications: Department of Veterans Affairs Insurance Center, PO Box 7208, Philadelphia, PA 19101
• Loans and Cash Surrenders: Department of Veterans Affairs Insurance Center, PO Box 7327, Philadelphia, PA 19101
• Premium and Loan/Lien Payments: US Department of Veterans Affairs VA Life Insurance Center, PO BOX 4019, Portland, OR 97208-4019

Contact by Fax and Email

The Office of Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (OSGLI) can be contacted by fax and email for inquiries related to the VGLI program and claims for SGLI and FSGLI. The fax numbers and email addresses are as follows:

• Death and accelerated benefits claims fax: 1-877-832-4943
• All other fax inquiries: 1-800-236-6142
• Death and accelerated benefits claims email: [email protected]
• All other inquiries email: [email protected]

Online Resources

In addition to the contact methods mentioned above, the VA website offers various online resources and tools to help veterans and their families with life insurance-related questions and tasks:

• The VA website provides a life insurance needs calculator to help determine the appropriate amount of coverage.
• Veterans and their families can access their VA life insurance policy online, pay premiums, update beneficiary information, and file claims.
• The VA website offers a new online process for enrolling in Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI).
• Various life insurance forms, handbooks, guides, and newsletters can be downloaded from the VA website.
• The VA website provides information on the new VALife program, including a pamphlet and the option to sign up for future email updates.
• The AskVA feature on the VA website allows users to submit questions and receive answers online.

Frequently asked questions